<375 - Library Expedition Team 2>
Oknodie’s belief was that even a patrolling instructor could not handle over a hundred first-year students rushing in with upper class students mixed in!
Once the common perception set in that if they got caught, it was no big deal to simply beat someone up and move on, the students’ fear disappeared.
Dorothy, who was leading them, also had one less worry, making it much easier for her to act as a guide. Jiang was amazed at the positive effect of such an ignorant solution.
“Looks like even assassins need to build strength.”
If you’re strong, there’s no need to struggle while twisting your body to take someone out.
A small but significant change was beginning to sprout in Jiang’s growth build.
“So what’s with all this insane amount of preparation items?”
“Supplies for the expedition!”
“Are we going to war?”
Dorothy had enlisted several students to pack enough food, water, cave escape ropes, oil torches, daggers for cutting grass, multi-purpose sticks, blankets, and a lot more for 120 students to survive even if lost for a week.
The contents were so densely packed that as soon as the lower class students shouldered their backpacks, they winced slightly.
“It’s heavy.”
“Why is there so much?”
“I just came from adventuring outside, but even in my active days, I never prepared like this at A-grade.”
Jiang couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
Adventurers are essentially beings that operate by trading lives.
There’s no way that rough workers, who generally take a laid-back approach, would carefully pack supplies worth more than their wages every time.
Even such lowly folk were now part of the organization.
They used their labor for Oknodie, hoping for even the smallest crumbs to fall their way.
“Sings will play the role of supply leader to protect the burdened lower class students!”
“Do I look like someone who would do such a bothersome job? Choose another position. If an instructor comes at me, I’d happily accept the role of cutting with a sword.”
“Isn’t Sing suited for the role of the dark supply officer? Wouldn’t it be good to try at least once in a job that fits your aptitude?”
“I despise meaningless work.”
What meaning was there in taking care of lower class students who would inevitably fall behind?
Even to Sing’s cold words, Dorothy replied boldly.
“If you don’t practice protecting people, your skills won’t improve! Don’t you want to protect Oknodie?”
“Keep this in mind. This is the last time I play along with your little game.”
At Sing’s chilling gaze, Rockbell, who had always stood by Dorothy, instinctively reached for his sword sheath.
“What an intimidating aura.”
“Ew. I’m not making her do anything ever again. I’ve never seen anyone as fierce as her back in town.”
“Can we have our little chats later? First, can you explain why we packed so much food and why the supplies are so plentiful? Everyone seems curious.”
Under Jiang’s urging, Dorothy returned with a beaming smile.
“The seniors said that in the academy’s unexplored areas, anything could happen at any time. So, I packed as if we could get lost!”
“And the week’s worth of food? From Friday evening, even if it’s long, it’ll only take two and a half days until Monday morning. Isn’t that over-preparing?”
“If we wander into another dimension due to confusion and illusions, we’d lose a lot of time, right? I actually wanted to pack enough for a month, but I held back because of Oknodie!”
When even the notoriously rigid Oknodie was participating, Dorothy expected they wouldn’t have too dangerous of a time!
“Did everyone clear their doubts? Then let’s depart!”
“Where to?”
“Through the back door of the snack bar!”
The Library Expedition Team set out.
*
Yui spoke up.
“The only distribution point for books coming out of the library is the snack bar. If we trace the footprints backward from there, we can reach the library.”
With this simple yet logical argument, the trust level Hector’s retainer, Deipobos, felt toward Yui rose.
“So we’re heading to the snack bar?”
“Not exactly. I got information from the snack bar assistant about shortcuts related to the book distribution.”
Library Club.
Deipobos, who was questioning on behalf of the prince about the name written on Yui’s map, was perplexed.
“Is there even such a club? I’ve heard the names of many clubs and learned about the realities of dangerous clubs, but I’d never heard of the Library Club before.”
“First-years can’t join and shouldn’t be encouraged to. The library is that dangerous.”
As regrets about their rash choice to head there washed over him, the expedition team had already been gathered.
It was like riding on the back of a tiger; the wheels were already in motion, and there was no pulling back.
If they tried to back out now, it would likely be Deipobos himself that would be called a coward by the retainer for leaving the prince Hector behind!
‘I can’t tarnish the prince’s dignity.’
“So, if we go to the Library Club, will they tell us the next route?”
“Sort of. The seniors said they’d lend us the paths they use. We paid a hefty price, but it’s definitely better than throwing money at a terrible place.”
The path to the library started to reveal itself, but even heading toward the Library Club wasn’t an easy task.
“Not that hallway. We have to go this way.”
Pointing towards a room suspiciously named Lockup Room, Yui gestured to the perfectly fine path.
The students became anxious, but Yui had her reasons for pointing to a suspicious area.
“The hall is being monitored by an instructor. If a first-year steps in, they’ll be immediately kicked out.”
“Hmph. What does a mere woman from a high-class family know? I’m not a coward.”
Without warning, one student suddenly bolted down the hallway, and before they knew it, a metal stake flew in from somewhere, hitting them and slamming them against the wall with a thud.
Startled, the students struggled to hold back their gasps as they saw the instructor, resembling a ghost, appear in the middle of the hall carrying the fallen student.
‘We must only follow the guided path!’
The interior of the Lockup Room was as extravagant as a hotel, with someone chained at their feet lying on a luxurious bed.
“Huh? Aren’t you first-years?”
“Is that you, senior?”
Among the bewildered faces, the one who quickly regained composure was the person lying on the bed.
“Wow, it’s not just a couple; there are even about thirty first-years wandering around at night! The Class 981 definitely has amazing adventurous spirit.”
“We’re the Hector retinue serving Prince Hector. Could we get an introduction, senior?”
“Class 976, Production Department, Third-Year Tetraphos.”
The students were surprised once by the fact that this person was two years their senior and again by the revelation that they entered five years earlier.
“What on Earth is a senior like you doing here?”
“As you can see, I’m imprisoned in the lockup room. One person must be locked up here in order for the rest to leave.”
“Isn’t that illegal?”
“If no one comes to rescue me, I’ll be released in a week. It’s a minimal measure for help.”
So it isn’t a permanent confinement.
The students silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Considering it was the Gift Academy, it wouldn’t be strange to find a few skeletons rolling around in the corners of the lockup room.
“Living in the lockup room isn’t bad at all. At least I can eat for free and sleep comfortably here. It’s perfect for hiding. I just briefly hid here to avoid the student council.”
“Student council…?”
“Oops. I spilled too much. I told you some comforting things to calm my soon-to-be-imprisoned first-year friends, but don’t listen to the student council. There’s nothing good for first-years getting involved.”
The students found it ridiculous.
Even if it was the student council, didn’t the expression that one of them would absolutely be imprisoned mean that?
“Why would we have to be locked up? You’re the one imprisoned and wearing chains.”
“Oh, this? We can get out if there are two people in the room.”
Click.
Tetraphos really unlocked the chains.
As his hands and feet got liberated, the Hector retinue finally realized the situation and trembled in fear.
This was like walking into a room full of lions to escape from wolves.
And there was no way out in this dead-end room!
“So, what will it be? Want to fight me and decide, or will you choose one of you to sacrifice? Either way is fine with me. I’m curious about the first-years’ skills.”
The senior, exuding confidence despite the odds against him, reminded them of the instructor who had instantly taken down a first-year with a metal stake.
Deipobos glared reproachfully at Yui.
“Did you really have to lead us to a place like this?”
“Don’t look at me like that. Here, only one must be sacrificed, but in other places, there would be many more sacrifices.”
In the end, the Hector retinue decided, through a draw, which one among them would be imprisoned, excluding Hector and Deipobos, the loyal retainer and guide Yui.
Tetraphos, the Third-Year Senior, said while putting the chains on a new student himself.
“Don’t worry too much. There are some naughty books under the bed.”
Not exactly comforting words for a student whose grades were about to plummet.
*
Lockup Room (10-person room).
According to Dorothy’s guidance, they arrived at a place where ten people waited, bound by chains, and only one could leave.
Jiang thought Dorothy had caused a massive disaster, but Dorothy herself pulled out ten straw dolls she had woven from the huge backpack she carried.
“Alright, let’s chain these up!”
“Using dolls instead of people…? How did you prepare such things?”
“Huh? Living in the forest, everyone has to know that there’s a road you can’t pass without offering sacrifices, right? It’s common sense to have sacrifice dolls on hand!”
Oknodie nodded his head at Dorothy’s words and took out a doll from his own backpack.
“She’s right. The shabby dolls the seniors sell sometimes are there’s for this purpose!”
Thanks to the thoroughly prepared guide Dorothy and the leader Oknodie, the Organization that Plays with Oknodie was able to escape the much more dangerous ten-person Lockup Room without a single loss.
